Travel advice for this country

Travel Summary

• There is a high threat from terrorism and sectarian violence throughout Pakistan. There has been a series of attacks, mainly suicide bombings targeted predominantly at the authorities but also at locations frequented by expatriates and foreign travellers.  Reports indicate that over 1000 civilians have died as a result of terrorist violence in Pakistan during 2009, including over 250 in May alone.
  
  
• We believe there is a heightened threat to Westerners in major cities.  The Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) claim of responsibility for the Lahore attack (see below) also included a claim that more attacks would take place in Lahore, Islamabad, Rawalpindi and Multan.  The Pakistani authorities are also concerned about the threat to foreigners of kidnapping.  See the Terrorism & Sectarian Violence section of this advice for more details.
  
  
• We advise against all travel to the Federally Administered Tribal Areas, and much of North West Frontier Province, including the areas of Peshawar, Kohat, Tank, Bannu, Lakki and Dera Ismail Khan. We advise against travel to the city of Peshawar and districts south of the city.
  
  
• We advise against all travel to Northern and Western Balochistan and advise against non essential travel to Quetta. 
  
  
• We advise against all travel to Swat, Buner, and Lower Dir, including travel on the Peshawar to Chitral road via the Lowari Pass. In these areas there are ongoing reports of military or militant activity. There are ongoing military offensives against militants in Swat, Buner, and Lower Dir, and a curfew has been imposed in parts of these districts. Large numbers of people have evacuated these areas. The risk from lawlessness and kidnapping remains severe.
  
  
• We also advise against using the rail network across the whole of Pakistan see Local Travel section of this advice for more details.
  
  
• Caution should be taken when visiting central Punjab and Karachi due to a high likelihood of spontaneous sectarian violence.
  
  
• The World Health Organisation (WHO) has raised its Pandemic Threat Alert Phase to Level 6. The WHO website at http://www.who.int/csr/disease/swineflu/en/index.html has further details. There is a dedicated  Swine Flu page on this website. Guidance on Pandemic Influenza can be found on the UK Department of Health website at: www.dh.gov.uk .
  
  
• If you are intending to travel to Pakistan, you should follow the developing situation in the news media and consult FCO travel advice regularly. You are also recommended to register with the British High Commission.  You may wish to seek local advice on the latest situation from the Security Section of the British High Commission in Islamabad or the British Deputy High Commission in Karachi.
  
  
• 558 British nationals required consular assistance in Pakistan in the period 01 April 2008 – 31 March 2009.  The main types of incident for which they required consular assistance were for replacing lost or stolen passports (190 cases).  However, assistance to victims of forced marriage or child abduction is also common.   If you are concerned about either issue see Forced Marriages or Child Abduction .
  
  
• We recommend that you obtain comprehensive travel and medical insurance before travelling. You should check any exclusions, and ensure that your policy covers you for all the activities you want to undertake.  See the General (Insurance) section of this advice and the Travel Insurance page for more details.

Safety and security

There is a high threat from terrorism and sectarian violence throughout Pakistan.  Attacks could be indiscriminate including at places frequented by expatriates and foreign travellers.

There has been a significant deterioration in the security situation across the country since July 2007 linked to military action against militants in FATA and North West Frontier Province.  There has been a series of attacks, mainly suicide bombings, targeted predominantly at the authorities but also at locations frequented by expatriates and foreign travellers.  Following an increase in military action against the militants, the frequency and scale of attacks has intensified in recent months and the security forces remain on high alert across the country. British nationals are advised to carry id at all times for use at police check-posts.

Although attacks have been mostly against the military and police, terrorists continue to target Western, including British, interests and individuals throughout Pakistan. Attacks have also taken place at rallies, mosques, churches, the homes of Members of Parliament and other locations. We believe that there is a heightened threat to Westerners in major cities. On 20 September 2008 a major bomb attack at the Marriott Hotel in Islamabad resulted in 53 dead and 250 injured.  Unless essential, you should avoid key Government installations and gatherings of uniformed personnel. Avoid demonstrations or large crowds of people and public events, including religious gatherings.  Exercise caution in other public places including hotels, airports, markets, restaurants and on public transport.  Keep a low profile and vary your routes and timings if you make any regular journeys between locations.

The risk is further heightened at locations frequented by expatriates and foreign travellers. Major international hotels which are frequented by Westerners have been targeted. We would therefore advise, where possible, to use hotels which do not have such a profile.

Since November 2008, there has been an increase in communal and ethnic violence in a number of districts throughout Karachi resulting in at least 34 deaths.  Extreme caution should be used when visiting Karachi, and close attention should be paid to the travel advice elsewhere on this page.

• On 12 June 2009, two bomb attacks at mosques in Lahore (Punjab) and Nowshera (North-West Frontier Province) killed at least six and injured many more'.
  
• On 11 June 2009, a suicide attack against a police check point in Peshawar resulted in one officer being killed and 14 injured.
  
• On 9 June 2009, armed militants attacked and detonated a bomb at the Pearl Continental hotel in Peshawar. This killed 18 people and injured over 80.  We currently advise against all travel to Peshawar.
• On 6 June, a suicide attack against police offices in Islamabad resulted in two police officers being killed and several injured.
  
• On 5 June, 38 people were killed in a suicide bomb attack on a mosque in Upper Dir in North West Frontier Province.
• On 28 May 2009, two separate bomb attacks in Peshawar killed 10 people and injured over 70 people.
  
• On 27 May 2009, a vehicle borne suicide bomb exploded outside a government building on the Mall Road in Lahore killing 35 people and injuring more than 250
• On 4 April 2009 there was an explosion followed by gunfire at a Frontier Constabulary position in F-7, Islamabad. Initial media reports suggest six people were killed and another five injured.
• On 30 March 2009, gunmen attacked a police academy in Manawan outside Lahore, Punjab. 14 people were killed and many injured during the siege.
  
• On 27 March 2009, a suicide bomber killed over 70 people and injured many others at a mosque in Jamrud, Khyber Agency, FATA.  We advise against all travel to the Federally Administered Tribal Areas.
  
• In March 2009, separate bomb attacks in Punjab province killed 13 people and injured more than 25.
  
• On 3 March 2009, unidentified gunmen attacked the Sri Lankan cricket team and their security escort near Liberty Chowk in central Lahore.  Five police officers were reported killed and a number of people injured.
  
• Between November 2008 and January 2009, separate suicide bomb attacks in NWFP killed over 80 people and injured more than 160.
  
• On 12 November 2008, a US national was shot dead in Peshawar.
  
• On 20 September 2008 a major explosion destroyed the Marriott Hotel in Islamabad  killing over 50 and injuring more than 250.
  
  

The Pakistani authorities are concerned about the risk to foreigners of kidnapping.  You should be alert to this threat throughout the country but in particular when visiting any part of North West Frontier Province (NWFP).  British nationals should be aware that the long-standing policy of the British Government is not to make substantive concessions to hostage takers.  The British Government considers that paying ransoms and releasing prisoners increases the risk of further hostage taking.

Recent kidnap cases include:

• On 20 May 2009, a French tourist was kidnapped near Quetta, Balochistan.
  
• On 2 February 2009, a US national working for the UN was kidnapped in Quetta, Balochistan.
  
• On 13 November 2008, an Iranian diplomat was kidnapped in Peshawar
• In September 2008, a Polish engineer in Attock, two Chinese engineers in Swat, two Afghan diplomats in separate incidents in Peshawar
• In March 2008, a British national was kidnapped in the Federally Administered Tribal Area
  
  

We advise against all travel to areas where there are ongoing reports of military or militant activity or where the risk from lawlessness and kidnapping is most severe.  This applies to the Federally Administered Tribal Areas, much of North West Frontier Province and Northern and Western Balochistan (see local travel section for details).

There are intermittent surges in sectarian violence throughout Pakistan.  Incidents often escalate quickly and have included murders and suicide bombings.  Attacks have occurred in Karachi, Islamabad, Quetta, Gilgit, the FATA and the Northern Areas.  The cities of central Punjab, as well as Quetta and Karachi, are at particular risk from Sunni-Shia violence.  Visitors of recognisably Western origin should avoid the vicinity of mosques at busy prayer times, especially on Fridays.  

It is recognised that the vast majority of British nationals who visit Pakistan each year do so because of the importance they attach to maintaining close links with family members.  You should nevertheless take account of the risk of being involved in a terrorist attack or other incident before deciding to travel.  If you are intending to travel to Pakistan you should follow the developing situation in the news media and consult FCO travel advice regularly.  You are also recommended to register with the British High Commission.

Local laws and customs

Entry requirements

Health

Natural disasters

Earth tremors are common and mountainous areas regularly experience floods and landslides.

A series of earthquakes struck Northern Balochistan on 29 October 2008 with a magnitude of up to 6.4 on the Richter Scale.  The districts of Ziarat and Pishin have been most badly affected.

General

Travel advice for this country

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